LOS ANGELES : More Dumping Allowed at Lopez Canyon Landfill

The Planning Commission voted 4-0 this week to temporarily allow increased dumping at the Lopez Canyon landfill to accommodate the debris and garbage that resulted from the rioting and looting triggered by the Rodney King verdicts.

Under the plan approved Thursday at the request of the city's Bureau of Sanitation, the huge city-owned landfill in Lake View Terrace will be open for dumping Saturday and May 16. The dump is usually closed on weekends. In addition, the commission lifted until May 16 the daily 400-truck cap on dumping.

The plan suspends rules the city had adopted after years of squabbling with homeowners opposed to the dump.

Homeowner representatives told the commission Thursday they feared that hazardous materials from the riot areas--including asbestos used in aging buildings that were burned--may cause health problems if they wind up in the landfill.